Dr. Rick Celebrini has been hired as the Warriors' new director of sports medicine and performance.

Photo: Courtesy of Warriors

The Warriors have hired Dr. Rick Celebrini as the team’s director of sports medicine and performance, the team announced Wednesday.

The New York Times was first to report the news.

Celebrini replaces Chelsea Lane, who left Golden State last month after three seasons to take a similar position with the Atlanta Hawks. Celebrini has been the head of sports medicine and science for Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps since February 2012.

"Rick is a world-class physiotherapist and will play a vital role in helping to sustain the performance level of our players," Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in a news release. "He has worked closely with a number of elite athletes throughout his career and is a great fit for our organization as we strive to maintain the on-court successes of these past few seasons."

A Burnaby, B.C., native, Celebrini is a co-founder and partner in the Fortius Institute, a Canadian athlete development center. Celebrini, a former professional soccer player, was the team physiotherapist for the Canadian Alpine Men’s Ski Team at the 1994 Winter Olympics and the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2010, he was the chief therapist and medical manager at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Connor Letourneau moved to the Golden State Warriors beat in September 2016 after a year covering Cal. Previously, he spent two years covering the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian. Letourneau is a University of Maryland alum who has interned for The Baltimore Sun and blogged for The New York Times. A Portland, Ore., native, he is interested in telling the stories that extend beyond the field or court.